How La Cabra uses Notion to keep its global cafés consistently excellent

La Cabra’s workspace grew the same way the company did: one need at a time.

First, it was a place to communicate. Then it became a place to run projects. Over time, it grew into a system for activations, HR, payroll, onboarding, inventory, maintenance, and operations.

“We didn’t build it to what it is now,” said Cyril Alcazar, Managing Director at La Cabra. “We solved one problem and then we solved another problem… and then it became this whole system.”

Now, Notion helps the team connect the bigger picture to the day-to-day work:

• Meeting notes → a shared record: AI Meeting Notes capture global leadership huddles, so the team can revisit decisions and follow-ups later.

• Opening roadmaps → weekly decisions: For new locations like the Chelsea flagship at Lantern House, project managers, architects, contractors, and the internal team track punch lists, approvals, and next steps in Notion.

• Brand principles → shared context: Teams can see the background and reasoning behind decisions, instead of relying on someone to retell the story.

Esben describes Notion as “a shared reference rather than a control system.” It holds “principles, background, and key decisions so teams understand the reasoning behind the work.” That gives each location enough structure to stay aligned, and enough room to feel local.

Take, for example, a seasonal strawberry shiso Danish that La Cabra created in collaboration with a Japanese skincare brand. To launch it well, the team had to coordinate the marketing team in Denmark, the partner’s social posts, ingredients, pricing, logistics, allergen information, and café teams.

In Notion, all of that work lives in one project. The team can see what’s launching, when it goes live, what the partner is doing, and what each café needs to know.

That matters because a launch doesn't end when the pastry reaches the case. It ends when the standard holds everywhere a customer meets it, in the feed, on the shelf, and at the counter.

“When someone comes in and a team member is well informed of the product, it’s easier for them to talk about it,” Cyril said. “They’re more excited about the interaction.”

As La Cabra grows, consistency comes down to small things repeated well, like monitoring quality of their roasts and documenting the perfect cardamom-to-sugar ratio.

“The biggest challenge of these brands expanding globally is the dilution of the experience of the brand,” Cyril said. “Staying true to what we do is key.”

Notion keeps that loop visible. Information from the work goes in. Teams use it to align, make decisions, and repeat what matters. Guests feel it in the details: a team member who knows the product, a launch that reaches every café with the right context, a new location that still feels like La Cabra.

“With good operations, our team gets to focus on what’s the most important thing,” Cyril said. “It’s a high-touch business. It’s all about the connection with the guests and providing that experience.”